Novels

Moonlight on the Mississippi

Moonlight on the Mississippi

River Romances Book Two

Releasing May, 2024

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Excerpt: 

This fella had lost his sunbaked mind beneath that striking mop of smoky-brown hair. Camilla Lockhart stifled a smirk as she propped her hip on the Alma May’s wheel. “You’ll need to explain why you think this”—she slapped one of the spokes and a splinter jabbed her palm—“old gal will help you find a boat at the bottom of the Mississippi.”

He opened his mouth, then pressed his lips together.

Why the confusion? If he couldn’t see the Alma May had sputtered ten years past her useable life and was being held together with a handful of prayers and buckets of tar, then she couldn’t help him. They did their best, but they could only do so much for a ramshackle tugboat.

And if he thought she would ever get involved with treasure seekers again, then her first estimation on the nature of his wits had been too generous.

The man—not much older than her own twenty-six years if she didn’t miss her guess—tipped his hat back in a roguish way that made her heart give a traitorous tremble. By her boots, Lula rumbled a growl. Exactly. Too handsome for anyone’s good.

“You run a scavenger boat, right?” He rubbed a day’s worth of dark scruff and then shoved his hands into the pockets of clean but worn britches.

Camilla snorted. “Who told you that?” She’d wallop them for sure for stirring up old rumors better left buried.

“Look, Miss—”

“Captain.”

He blinked. To his credit, the surprise vanished quickly. “Captain Lockhart. I promise this will be a trip worth your while. The pay is good.”

A sweltering August breeze poked through the windows and attempted to cool the sweat from her brow. What a mess she must look. Though to be fair, she hadn’t planned on receiving company when she’d docked in Natchez. Least of all the handsome sort. She ran a hand down her trousers and hoped there weren’t any grease stains.

Lula pawed at her knee, waiting to be picked up. When Camilla scooped up her furry companion and settled the black-and-white terrier on her hip, Lula swayed toward the man, sniffing.

The fellow’s face softened, and an endearing tip curved his lips.

Handsome and turned a kind eye on her pup? Something in her chest pinched. She needed to get this man off her boat before he could cause all sorts of trouble. Like muddling her senses.

She cocked an eyebrow at his near-threadbare shirt and put her mind back on topic. “I don’t indulge fool’s errands.”

His cheeks tinged pink, and he straightened broad shoulders. “I don’t have the money yet, but as soon as we find that treasure—”

“You mean if. If we find this supposed treasure.” She blew out a breath and gestured toward the exit. Whoever had let this man into her pilothouse deserved three extra shifts moping the deck where Lula did her personal business. Camilla turned sideways to squeeze past him and escape.

“Please. You’re my only hope.”

Maybe it was the note of desperation in his voice. Or perhaps it had something to do with the arresting quality of those emerald-green eyes that seemed to hold a century’s worth of life. A girl could get lost in eyes like those. Dangerous waters, that.

Whatever the reason, she and Lula paused at the door. “Mr…” She twisted her lips. “What did you say your name was?”

“Gray.” He thrust out his hand, and she slid her palm against his calloused one. “Daniel Gray.”

His gaze latched onto hers and held. Snakes and salt water. This man could convince a common field mouse she was a warhorse, and she’d follow him into battle.

Camilla extracted herself from his grip. “Sorry, Mr. Gray. I wish I could help you.”

She’d barely made it three steps from the pilothouse, that unnerving fellow on her heels, when a shout came from the deck.

“Trouble ho!”

Great. What else could go wrong today?

The River Queen

River pirates, a stolen steamboat, and a deadly chase down the Mississippi—but falling in love might be the real adventure.

When river pirates attack and steal his steamboat, Emmett Carter barely escapes. Rescued and transported to a magnificent world of glitz and showbiz aboard a flashy showboat, Emmett is immediately captivated by something more than recovering his lost inheritance—The River Queen’s beautiful, but quirky, songbird.

Anola Flynn, the star singer on The River Queen, is struggling to keep the business running as attendance dwindles during the 1923 season. With her dreams of saving the family legacy—and the only life she’s ever known—slipping away, she forges an alliance with Emmett to keep her family afloat.

Now, to outsmart the gangsters chasing them, Anola and Emmett must wade through a dark current of deception and betrayal to save not only their dreams, but everyone they care about, from sinking deeper into the Mississippi River.

Praise for The River Queen

“Stephenia McGee doesn’t fail to delight lovers of historical romance and with some twists and turns, she engages the lore of old mystery in our hearts as well. Readers who love engaging characters and unique settings will devour McGee’s stories! Run to your nearest bookstore now!”      -Jaime Jo Wright, ECPA Best-Selling Author of The Vanishing at Castle Moreau

“River pirates, gangsters, smugglers, and an unforgettable, vivacious heroine all set in the roaring twenties–this story has it all. McGee pens a unique and swashbuckling tale that submerses readers into the showboat world of a strong family of faith and the fish-out-of-water hero who brings trouble aboard. Readers looking for mystery, intrigue, adventure, and romance will not want to miss this entertaining read.” – Crystal Caudill, author of Counterfeit Faith

“Stephenia H. McGee delivers a riveting journey into the roaring 1920s in a delightful new setting—the showboat era! With its compelling characters, gripping plot, and immersive narrative, The River Queen stands as an unmissable delight for fans of historical romance and high-stakes adventure.” – Misty M. Beller, USA Today bestselling author of the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series

The Swindler’s Daughter

A surprise inheritance. A cache of family secrets. A choice that will change her life forever.

Lillian Doyle has lived her entire high-society life with her widowed mother, believing her father died long ago. But when news arrives that her estranged father only recently passed away–in jail–Lillian is startled to find that the man has left a business and all of his possessions to her, making her a rather unusual heiress.

When she goes to take possession of her father’s house in a backwoods Georgia town, the dilapidated structure is already occupied by another woman who claims it was promised to her son, Jonah. In her attempts to untangle the mess, Lillian will discover not only a family she never knew she had but a family business that is more than meets the eye–and has put a target on her back.

To discover the truth and take hold of the independence she’s always dreamed of, she’ll have to make friends with adversaries and strangers–especially Jonah, the dusty and unrefined cowboy who has secret aspirations of his own.

The Secrets of Emberwild

“Saddle up for a ride you won’t want to end.”

—Jocelyn Green, Christy Award–winning author of Drawn by the Current

A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They’re easier to handle, they’re more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father’s passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.

Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father’s death—even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he’s come to admire.

The Back Inn Time Series

An exciting time travel romantic adventure!

In this stirring Christian time-travel series, readers are swept away on romantic adventures throughout history. Each book features new characters who find love in the most unexpected places and can be read in any order.

The Back Inn Time series books are fun, faith-filled stories of what it might be like to suddenly experience life in a different time. These clean historical romances are packed with humor and adventure. Perfect for fans of dual timeline or time slip stories and Christian historical romance, these books answer the question every historical fiction fan wonders—what would it be like if I went back to that time? If you enjoy the wholesomeness of Amish, Western, or frontier fiction and adore romantic comedies, then visit a seaside Victorian inn where you can “step back inn time and leave your troubles behind!”

Book One:

The Cedar Key

2021 Faith, Hope, & Love Readers Choice Award Winner

Could the key to Casey’s future be hidden in someone else’s past?

Casey Adams unexpectedly inherits an old Victorian house full of other people’s memories. Stuck in a quirky little Mississippi town, Casey’s hope for a fresh start died as soon she had to lay the grandmother she’d just met to rest.

But Grandma Ida carried secrets beyond the grave.

Before her death Ida carefully planned a trail of clues to help Casey unlock the Macintyre family secrets and finally explain why they abandoned her. But each of Ida’s letters will only come from Casey’s handsome—and often frustrating—new neighbor. As Casey pieces together the stories behind the objects filling her grandmother’s house, she embarks on a heart-stirring journey that rattles her foundations, ignites her faith, and leads her to a startling discovery that will reshape her future. But only if she can face the lies that have been slowly tearing her apart.

The Accidental Spy Series

The Accidental Spy Series

The Ironwood Plantation Family Saga

The Ironwood Plantation Family Saga

Book One: The Whistle Walk
In a time where unity seems impossible, two women will forge a friendship in the fires of redemption and thrust Ironwood into a new future—where the battle for freedom has merely begun.

Book Two: Heir of Hope
A hidden diary. Dreams of the past. And a hope for a new future.

Emily Burns grew up an orphan, so she never expected to inherit a southern plantation. When she discovers an old diary hidden in the attic, her life becomes strangely entwined with her Civil War ancestor and she soon begins to wonder how a woman long dead can keep showing up in her dreams.

Book Three: Missing Mercy
The venture ahead could leave their friendship behind.

Made a safe-haven after the Civil War, Ironwood Plantation is a refuge of equality for former slaves. But twenty years and a new generation later, they have become an isolated community with little contact with the rest of the world.

In a time where prejudices try to define them, Mercy Carpenter and Faith Harper must push the boundaries of their beliefs and trust in the God who holds the keys to freedom.

The Hope of Christmas Past

When a mysterious painting offers her a trip to the past, will Isla find new hope for her future?

On the brink of aging out the foster system, the last thing Isla Laird wants is to spend Christmas in an old-fashioned plantation. What’s the point of bonding with her foster mom when it’s too late to ever be adopted? But when a mysterious painting suddenly thrusts her into the nineteenth century, Isla is forced to face hurts and memories she’s long tried to bury. With time running out and her heart in tatters, can God use an impossible miracle to bring Isla hope for a new future?

Eternity Between Us

Two sides. Two hearts. And a gulf between them as deep and wide as eternity.

Virginia, 1861
After being forced to use a pistol against invaders, Evelyn Mapleton is no longer the timid girl her extended family expects. The more her aunt and cousin resent her new independence, the more Evelyn is determined she’ll make her missing father proud by taking up his cause and aiding Confederate soldiers–even if she has to outmaneuver the Yankees guarding her home to do it.

Samuel Flynn’s life is consumed with two priorities: learning to become a proper guardian for the young orphans he’s adopted and obtaining his physicians license. When his final testing sends him to a Federal Army field hospital, the last thing he expects is to be entranced by a mysterious woman. But when Evelyn’s misguided exploits put her life in danger, will he risk everything he’s worked for to save a woman he thinks is his enemy?

Based on first-hand accounts from the Civil War and with a strong romantic thread, this is a tale of faith, espionage, hope, and courage historical fiction fans won’t want to miss.

“This tale brings a turbulent time to life with nuance and sensitivity.”
JOCELYN GREEN, award-winning author of the Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War series

The Heart of Home

Once a wistful romantic, Opal Martin now simply aspires to scrub the remnants of the War Between the States from her tattered life. But when a nearly drowned soldier appears and asks if he can die on her porch, she must guard against the sudden revival of her heart’s hope for love.

Haunted by the war, Tristan Stuart just wants to escape the pain. But when he wakes up at a house that looks too much like home with a woman determined to mend him, he may discover a new life worth fighting for. In order to save the last of what Opal holds dear, will he become the man she needs or let the troubled waters carry him away?

Her Place in Time

A Time Travel Romance

Can love offer a new future…in the past?

Lena Lowery faces a grim diagnosis and a dangerous surgery. Staying at the Rosswood Plantation Bed and Breakfast for one last weekend with her mother, she discovers an unimaginable cure…a gown that transports her back in time.

Confederate Sergeant Caleb Dockery lost his brother, his eye, and nearly his life. Stuck in a makeshift infirmary, he’s counting the days until he can return to duty…and seek revenge. When a strange lady suddenly appears at Rosswood, he suspects she may be a spy.

When Lena’s safety is threatened, Caleb must strain the loyalties that bind him or risk losing her forever. Will she return to her own time…or can she and Caleb fight the odds and find a love that stretches across eras?

A mysterious gown, unexpected courage, and a love that transcends time.

In His Eyes

About the book:

She pretends to be a Yankee officer’s widow in order to survive. But what will she do when he returns home to a wife he didn’t marry?

Ella Whitaker rescues a newborn from the dying arms of a woman of ill repute and at long last she has someone to love. In need of a wet nurse, she arrives at Belmont Plantation just as Federal soldiers demand to speak to the owner. Thinking quickly, Ella masquerades as a Yankee officer’s widow in order to have a roof over her head and a home for the child.

Major Westley Remington has dedicated his life to serving his country. The Civil War has divided his family, torn his thoughts of glory, and left him with a wound that may never heal. Westley returns home on medical furlough to settle his father’s estate at Belmont Plantation, only to find his home is being run by a fiery and independent woman–one many believe to be his wife. Now he is faced with a conflict he’s never been trained to fight, and one she has yet to conquer.